Dilemma.. whats what??

Re: Dilemma.. whats what??

xxserahxx — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:18:25 GMT

yes thanks lol.. soo mine are actually chinese then which i thought they were.. so my tutor is wrong too lol.. hmm

Re: Dilemma.. whats what??

Emma Jarratt — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:59:39 GMT

It gets extra confusing because there are actually 3 types of 'russian' hamsters kept as pets in the UK!!!

In total there are 5 species of hamster we see....

Mesocricetus auratus - Syrian or Golden hamster (the bigger ones that people usually mean when they say 'hamster'

Phodopus campbelli - Campbell's Russian Dwarf hamster and Phodopus sungorus - Winter White Russian Dwarf hamster, these two species are very similar, and can interbreed to produce hybrids, there is debate as to whether they are actually seperate species or not. One of these is what people usually mean when they say 'Russian' or 'Dwarf' hamster

Phodopus roborovskii - Roborovski hamster but people also refer to them as 'Russian' or 'Dwarf; - the really, really tiny ones with little white eyebrows.

Cricetulus griseus - Chinese hamsters. The ones with longer tails, much more agile (cling to your finger like it's a branch), and the boy's testicles are as big as their heads.

Most owners are surprised to find they have a Chinese or Roborovski when they thought they just had a 'hamster'.

Hope that helps!

Re: Dilemma.. whats what??

xxserahxx — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:30:17 GMT

mine are really friendly.. very quick lol but will sit on your hand n let u stroke them lol quite sweet lil things :D

Re: Dilemma.. whats what??

Fiona Leathers — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:02:07 GMT

I used to breed Russian hamsters when I was at school (long time ago!!!) & the pet shop would give me £1 per hamster. They were completely wild and I couldn't get anywhere near them, when I put my hand in for their food bowl, I used to come out with a hamster on each finger. No matter how hard I tried to hand tame them I couldn't. Vicious little blighters!! I used to hoover their cage cos I couldn't pick them up to get them out! Now when I think about it they must have terrified of the hoover but by God they were nasty!

Re: Dilemma.. whats what??

Vicky RVN — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 23:03:10 GMT

[quote user="Christine Chapman"]

awww they are gorgeous! We don't have hamsters here in NZ!!!

[/quote]

That prob isn't a bad thing Christine...from my experience they can be EVIL!! My sister had a russian...when he started to get old he got grumpy and would hang off your finger by his teeth! I've got a scar on my finger from one at work latching on...ended up on antib's after that bite! But saying that, my Hammy was very cute and friendly, here is a pic of her:

I am very nervous of hamsters, and try to avoid handling them, i'd rather leave it to a more confident nurse!

Re: Dilemma.. whats what??

Christine Chapman — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 22:03:16 GMT

awww they are gorgeous! We don't have hamsters here in NZ!!!

Re: Dilemma.. whats what??

xxserahxx — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 21:32:30 GMT

Thanks... was too confusing lol

Re: Dilemma.. whats what??

Anonymous — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 21:26:44 GMT

I would say they are chinese then.

Re: Dilemma.. whats what??

xxserahxx — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:50:05 GMT

That top picture is exactally wat mine look like... soo there chinese? lol im soo confused i just been learning them at college n my tutor got them rnd the wrong way as i thought they were chinese coz mine have like 1cm or so tail n russians dont? lol thanks guys

Re: Dilemma.. whats what??

Helen Freer — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:33:18 GMT

What you describe sounds like a Russian hamster ( Dwarf Campbells Russian hamster) as they are more cobby with longer thicker fur than the Chinese and often grey/brown in colour with a black strip down the back( unlike the Chinese that have just a darker srip down the back) also the Russian have a white or buff belly with the white in 3 distinctive arches.

Hope this is of help

Re: Dilemma.. whats what??

Anonymous — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 15:49:06 GMT

and i think chinese hamps are generally brownish grey with the white belly and stripe down the back. the other colours aren't very common. where as the russians have more variety in colour and are easier found in other colours.

Re: Dilemma.. whats what??

Anonymous — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 15:43:02 GMT

I believe the chinese ones have a little more of a tail where as the russians do not. I could be wrong though.

Chinese

Russian (white, they come in a few colours)